Council Behaving Badly - Fullerton Observer

Page 14 FULLERTON OBSERVER EVENTS
HITS &
MISSES
by Joyce Mason © 2010
UNSTOPPABLE: A Hit and a Miss
Set in Pennsylvania, “Unstoppable’ is a fictional
movie about a runaway train, but it is close enough to
an actual incident that happened in 2001—when an
unmanned train left an Ohio rail yard and began a 66mile
journey—to deserve its claim to have been
“inspired by a real-life incident.” Written by Mark
Bomback and directed by Tony Scott, “Unstoppable”
has suspense, thrilling stunts, and some character
development, but there are times when 98 minutes
seem too long to spend with Engine 777 and its 39
cars.
Slovenly in appearance and careless in work habits,
Dewey (Ethan Suplee), the engineer of 777, jumps off
his train momentarily to adjust a switch but does not
properly set the brakes. The train lurches forward,
gaining speed so quickly that Dewey is not able to
jump back on. He has also neglected to connect the air
hose between the lead locomotive and the rest of the
half-mile-long- train, making Engine 777 even more of
a lethal projectile.
When Dewey notifies yardmaster Connie Hooper
(Rosario Dawson) that a runaway train is headed into
opposing traffic on the main line, she orders a speeder
to catch and stop it. Connie is also aware that a carload
of schoolchildren on a field trip is on that main
line. The two men on the speeder catch up with the
runaway, now going 70 miles per hour, but they are
unable to jump on board. The cool-headed Connie
succeeds in diverting the train with the schoolchildren
onto another track just before it would have crashed
with the speeding missile.
Several miles away, in another train yard, Will
Colson (Chris Pine), who has just completed a fourmonth
training program, reports to work as second in
command to engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel
Washington). Barnes is not pleased to have an inexperienced
trainman on board. We later learn that at 55
years old Barnes is being forced into early retirement, a
move that will cut his benefits in half. So he resents
training a younger, less competent man.
Colson begins his job with some serious marital
problems that we learn about as we watch his wife,
who doesn’t answer his phone calls and refuses him visitation
rights to their young son. “Unstoppable” is not
a movie just about a careening train, but it also explores
the relationship that develops between Barnes and
Colson, each at difficult crossroads in his life. Having
lost his wife to cancer, Barnes tries to keep up his
fatherly relationship with two barely grown-up daughters,
both working as waitresses in a Hooter’s
Restaurant.
Connie has notified her supervisor, Oscar Galvin
(Kevin Dunn), that the unmanned train is still out of
control and he, along with company executives, orders
several unsuccessful interventions. Now they order a
third strategy: using derailers, which are metal pieces
that rise from the rails. By now Barnes and Colson are
aware of the problem, as is the rest of the world.
Television stations all over Pennsylvania have sent
crews in helicopters to photograph the speeding train.
With his 28 years of railroad experience, Barnes
knows that the derailers will not be strong enough to
stop Engine 777. He devises a plan of his own to back
into the speeding train, couple with it, and gradually
slow it to a speed where someone can jump into the
engine cab and apply the brakes. The plan is very risky.
Tony Scott, having previously directed “The Taking
of Pelham 123,” manages the mayhem involved with
speeding trains, hovering helicopters, and frantic railway
workers. He uses stunt performers as little as possible,
requiring both Washington and Pine to run on
top of moving freight cars, creating verisimilitude
whenever possible. He also draws convincing performances
from his actors. From Washington, we have
come to expect perfectly modulated acting, but Pine is
just as impressive as the neophyte assistant.
A Hit & A Miss: You Might Like It.
Two Misses: Forget About It.
Two Hits: Don’t Miss It!
TUES., DEC. 21
•6:30pm: City Council Meeting
at Fullerton City Hall, 303 W.
Commonwealth, Fullerton. Public
Hearings include: Fullerton Trans
Center Cost Recovery Fee; and St.
Jude Specific Plan Amendment.
Other items include: Amend Public
Nuisances Ordinance; Outdoor
Dining & Public Right of Way
Encroachments; RDA 09/10
Annual Report; Preservation of
Low/Moderate Income housing;
Ford Park Cell Towers; 30-minute
Parking on Williamson from Euclid
to Woods; Puente Street Bike Path;
Tennis Center Renovations;
Ordinance allowing temporary
appointments in the event of a
vacant council seat; OCTA
Brookhurst Signal Coordination;
Measure M2 Traffic Signal
Coordination; Water Main
Replacement contract award;
Revenue/Fee Recap; Presentation
by OCTA on progress of SR 57
widening; Closed session on existing
litigation (Hansen). Check city
website at www.cityoffullerton.com
for additions and back up materials.
Jan. 4 meeting cancelled.
FRI., DEC. 31
•7pm to midnight: First Night
Fullerton free admission. Live music, performances,
entertainers, art exhibits, synthetic
ice rink, children’s rides & activities
($2-$7 each), food vendors all within walking
distance of each other in Downtown
Fullerton.
TUES., JAN 4
•6:30pm: City Council Meeting at
Fullerton City Hall, 303 W.
Commonwealth, Fullerton. Public
Hearing: Fullerton Transportation Center
Cost Recovery Fee •Ford Park Cell Towers
•Ordinance: Temporary appointment in
case of vacant council seat.
THURS., JAN. 6
•7:30pm: Redevelopment is the topic of
Councilmember Sharon Quirk-Silva’s
“Conversations with your City” program
held at the Fullerton Museum Center, 301
N. Pomona (on Wilshire). Acting Fullerton
City Manager Joe Felz (who is also taking
on the position of Interim Director of
Redevelopment as current director Rob
Zur Schmiede resigned to take a similar
position in Long Beach) will be the guest
speaker. Felz will give an update on current
and future redevelopment and other city
projects and answer questions. Free. Call
714-738-6311 for more information.
SUN., JAN. 9
•3:30pm: Fullerton Friends of Music
Free Concert presents the Bravura Trio.
The LA based musicians (Gary Gray, clarinet;
Judith Farmer, bassoon; and Robert
Thies, piano) have performed with such
ensembles as the LA Chamber Orchestra,
Pacific Serenades, the New Hollywood
String Quartet, and the Austrian Radio
Symphony Orchestra. Their program in
Fullerton will feature rarely-heard works by
composers including Beethoven,
Mendelssohn, George Gershwin, and
Charles Harold Bernstein. Sunny Hills
High School Performing Arts Center, 1801
Warburton Way. Call (714) 525-5836 or
go to www.fullertonfriendsofmusic.com
for more info.
TUES., JAN. 11
•7pm-8:30pm: Author Gayle K.
Brunelle “Murder in the Metro: Laetitia
Toureaux & the Cagoule in 1930s
France” CSUF history professor Gayle
Brunelle, who with Annette Finley-
Croswhite, wrote “Murder in
the Metro,” will speak about
the research behind their
controversial book which
focuses on the Cagoule, a
French terrorist group of the
1930s. The authors encountered
heavy resistance from French archives
and the French government due to the
connections many members of the Cagoule
had then and now with prominent members
of the government. Fullerton Public
Library Osborne Auditorium, 353 W.
Commonwealth. (714)773-6326 Free.
MID DECEMBER 2010
FIRST NIGHT
PERFORMANCES
DOWNTOWN
FULLERTON
Friday December 31,
7pm to Midnight
Admission is Free
• “HELP” Beatles Tribute
Band: Formed in 2005 to
replicate the music and vocals
of the legendary Beatles,
HELP includes bandmembers
Dave Reynolds, Ted Felicetti,
Dave Keefer, and Rick Root.
• “Los Fabulocos”:
Featuring Kid Ramos on guitar,
bajo sexto, and vocals,
James Barrios on bass and
vocals, Jesus Cuevas on accordian
and vocals, and Mike
Molina on drums on the Main
Stage from 7 to midnight.
• “Bubba & the Big Bad
Blues”: plays on the Wilshire
Stage through 11:30pm.
• “Spare Change”: plays
rock from the 80s & 90s and
current hits at 8pm, 9:30pm,
and 11pm at the Wilshire Ave.
Community Church.
• “Magician Joel Ward”: A
member of the illustrious
Magic Castle roster of performers,
Ward began his career
as a 15 year old when he placed
first in the International
Brotherhood of Magicians’
annual competition for teen
magicians. That same year he
was selected to appear with
master magician Lance Burton
in the “Young Magicians
Showcase” TV show. He has
performed nationwide ever
since. Shows will be held at the
First Christian Church, 109 E.
Wilshire at 7:30, 8:30, 9:30,
and 10:30pm.
• Karaoke Stage: The traditional
Karaoke stage will be set
up on Harbor between
Wilshire and Amerige
Avenues. There will be two
microphones available to anyone
who would like to sing.
• Kids Activities: Various
kids rides and activities from
7pm to 11:30pm will be available
for fees of $2 to $7 including
synthetic ice rink, mini
train rides, a variety of bounce
houses, bungee run, velcro
wall, robo surf, obstacle
course, gladiator joust and carnival
games. Tickets are available
at the Harbor/Amerige
and the Wilshire/Pomona ticket
booths.
• Roaming Entertainment:
Various entertainers include a
juggling stilt walker, Chaz the
Unicyclist, and Abbit the
Average.
• Dinner & Treats: Various
food vendors will be located
along Wilshire and Harbor
with dinner, treats, and
refreshments available for purchase.
• Vendors: Face painters,
balloon artists and novelty
booths will be located along
north Harbor.
• Fireworks: A fireworks
show choreographed to music
takes place at midnight.